Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tafenoquine treatment for dogs with Babesia gibsoni infection
By Iguchi, Aiko et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2025·Faculty of Agriculture, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Efficacy of tafenoquine in dogs naturally infected with Babesia gibsoni.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with babesiosis, caused by the Babesia gibsoni parasite, were treated with tafenoquine after their symptoms didn't improve with another medication. The dogs received two doses of tafenoquine, and their health quickly got better, showing improvements in their blood counts. While two dogs had a relapse of symptoms, they responded well to additional doses of tafenoquine. This suggests that tafenoquine could be a useful treatment option for dogs suffering from this infection, even if some may need more than one round of treatment to fully recover.
People also search for: dog babesiosis treatment · tafenoquine for dogs · symptoms of Babesia gibsoni in dogs
Abstract
There are various treatments have been reported for canine babesiosis. However, treatment methods that can eliminate the parasites have not been established. The current study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of tafenoquine against natural Babesia gibsoni infection. In total, seven dogs with canine babesiosis and one dog with canine babesiosis not controlled with diminazene aceturate were included. Oral tafenoquine at dose of 10-20 mg/kg was administered orally on days 0 and 7. The hematocrit level and platelet count of the dogs were measured. The clinical symptoms of all dogs rapidly improved. Two dogs relapsed. However, their symptoms improved after two more doses of tafenoquine. Although recurrence could not be prevented, tafenoquine might be a treatment against canine babesiosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40189309/